顯密圓通成佛心要集 1.28.2

1.28.2

問曰：「既專誦一呪疾得成就，何以多示准提真言令人持誦？ 」答云：「一為准提總含一切諸真言故。 准提能含諸呪，諸呪不含准提，如大海能攝百川，百川不攝大海。 （準提總含諸呪，如下所明。 ）二為准提壇法人易成辦故，但以一新鏡未曾用者，便是壇法，不同餘呪建辦壇法，須得揀選淨處、香埿塗地，廣造佛像、多用供具方能成就。 （有財物者，廣造佛像多辦供具，於佛像前安置鏡壇，對之持誦更妙。 ）三為准提不揀染淨得持誦故，不問在家出家、飲酒食肉、有妻子等皆持誦，不同餘呪須要持戒方得誦習，（今為俗流之輩，帶妻挾子飲酒噉肉是其常業，雖逢僧人教示，習性難以改革，若不用此大不思議呪法救脫，如是人等何日得出生死？ 其有齋戒清淨依法持誦者，更為勝妙，故《准提經》云：『何況更能結齋具戒、依法持誦，不轉空身往第四天，得入神足是也。 』）所以多示准提真言令人持誦。 若有樂持餘真言者，隨心皆得，勿要定執一途耳。 」（雖專誦二呪，須先起圓信，信五部呪皆是成佛之門，若受一缺餘，多成謗法也。 ）又真言行者，每日對鏡初欲持誦時，或只依前先想自身頂上有一梵書㘕字，猶如明珠，然後持課。 又准《大乘觀想曼拏羅經》、《持明藏成就儀軌經》、《尊勝佛頂修瑜伽法》等數十本經教中說，或想自身頂上㘕字，變作三角火輪，從頂至足燒盡自身，遍周法界唯見清淨。 （縱有五無間罪，用此字燒身，亦皆除滅無遺。 ）次想一梵書阿字，生成自身，（謂阿字即體是無相法界，從無相法界生成行者之身。 ）復想一暗字，在自頂門十字縫中，（謂暗字即體是十方諸佛，光明法水用灌佛子之頂，此是秘密灌頂法門。 ）。 然後持誦。 或想自心如一月輪圓滿清淨，於月輪中有一梵書唵字，（如來因位多年修道不得菩提，後習此觀，於初夜分便成正覺，謂唵字具含無量法門，是一切真言之母，一切如來皆因觀想此字而得成佛。 ）或心月輪中想一阿字，（謂阿字是毘盧佛身，亦是法界亦是菩提心，若人想念能生無量功德。 ）或心月輪中想一吽字，（謂吽字總攝金剛部一切真言，是金剛部主身，亦是三解脫門，若常想念，能除一切罪障，成就一切功德。 ）或舌上想一㘕字，或吽字，想竟然後持誦。 或想自身頸上出大蓮華，於蓮華上現出阿字，復想阿字變成月輪，又想月輪變成hūṃ字，吽字變成五股金剛杵，又想此杵移於舌上，方得名為金剛舌，然後持誦。 （次於二手中亦想阿字，阿字變成月輪，月輪變成吽字，吽字變為白色五股金剛杵，方得名為金剛手，然後結一切印。 ）或想准提九聖梵字，每一一字有種種光明，安自身分之中，所謂想唵字安頭上，折字安兩目，隸字安項頸，主字安於心，隸字安兩肩，准字安臍中，提字安兩髀，娑婆（二合）安兩脛，訶字安兩足，想安布已然後持誦。 （《持明藏儀軌經》說：若於准提菩薩法中求成就者，先觀准提菩薩根本微妙字輪，安自身分一一分明，是人先身所造一切罪業悉得除滅，凡有所求決定成就。 安布九字，藏經數處說也。 ）觀想梵字所有功德，廣如諸陀羅尼經中說之。 （此上梵字觀門，若四威儀中常思之更妙。 凡諸經中說想真言字者，皆是梵字，非是此方文字，故《一字頂輪王儀軌》云：「所言觀諸字，唯瞻於梵字，非是隨方文，有大神用力。 」）或有不能想得梵字者，但只專心持誦，亦具一切三昧。 故《大悲心經》云：「陀羅尼是禪定藏，百千三昧常現前故。 」若人緊切持誦時，或逢種種魔障或忽然怕怖，或舌難持誦、或身心不安，或多瞋多睡、或見諸異相，或於呪反生疑心不欲持誦等云云，若對治者，應觀梵書羅字，或觀㘕字、或觀阿字等，但隨觀一字彼竟界自然消滅。 若分別心多，當觀灑字，即成無分別。 若著有心多，應觀含字，即因緣法本空也。 （此上且約一途而說。

Question: "Since reciting a single dhāraṇī-mantra with single-minded focus brings swift accomplishment, why do you predominantly indicate the Cundī mantra to have people recite it?"
Answer: "First, it is because Cundī completely subsumes all mantras. Cundī can subsume all dhāraṇī-mantras, but other dhāraṇī-mantras do not subsume Cundī, just as the great ocean can contain the hundred rivers, while the hundred rivers cannot contain the great ocean. (Cundī completely subsumes all dhāraṇī-mantras, as explained below.)
Second, it is because the maṇḍala rites of Cundī are easily performed: merely using a new mirror that has never been used constitutes the maṇḍala rite. It is not like the maṇḍala rites established for other dhāraṇī-mantras, which require selecting a pure place, plastering the ground with fragrant mud, broadly fashioning Buddha images, and using many offerings before accomplishment is possible. (Those with material wealth may broadly fashion Buddha images, prepare many offerings, and arrange the mirror maṇḍala before the Buddha images; reciting facing it is even more marvelous.)
Third, it is because Cundī may be recited without discriminating between defiled and pure: regardless of whether one is householder or monastic, drinks alcohol or eats meat, or has a wife and children, all may recite it; it is not like other dhāraṇī-mantras that require upholding the precepts before one may recite and practice them. (Now, for the worldly common folk, possessing wives and children and drinking wine and eating meat are their ordinary occupations. Although they meet monastics who instruct them, their ingrained habits are difficult to reform; if one does not use this great and inconceivable dhāraṇī-mantra rite to save and deliver them, when will such people ever escape birth and death? For those who maintain pure fasting and precepts and recite in accord with the Dharma, it is all the more superior and marvelous. Therefore the Cundī Sūtra says: 'How much more so if one is able to undertake fasting, fully uphold the precepts, and recite in accord with the Dharma: without casting off this mortal body, one goes to the Fourth Heaven and attains the supernatural powers.')
For these reasons, I predominantly indicate the Cundī mantra to have people recite it. If there are those who delight in reciting other mantras, they may do so according to their wishes; one must not rigidly cling to a single path. (Although focusing on the recitation of these two dhāraṇī-mantras, one must first give rise to perfect faith, believing that the dhāraṇī-mantras of all five divisions are gates to attaining Buddhahood; if one accepts one while disparaging the rest, it mostly amounts to slandering the Dharma.)
Furthermore, when the mantra practitioner begins the daily recitation facing the mirror, they may simply rely on the preceding practice of first visualizing atop their own crown a Brahmā letter RAṂ, like a luminous pearl, and then recite the lesson. Moreover, according to the teachings in dozens of texts such as the Mahāyāna Sūtra on Visualizing Maṇḍalas, the Vidyādhara Pitaka Sūtra on Rites of Accomplishment, and the Yoga Practice Method of the Uṣṇīṣavijayā, one may also visualize the letter RAṂ atop one's own crown transforming into a triangular wheel of fire, burning one's body entirely from head to foot, so that across the entire dharmadhātu only purity is seen. (Even if one has the five sins of immediate retribution, burning the body with this syllable will completely eradicate them without remainder.) Next, visualize a Brahmā letter A generating one's own body (this means the letter A is in its essence the signless dharmadhātu, and from the signless dharmadhātu the practitioner's body is generated). Again visualize an AṂ letter within the crisscross seam of one's own crown fontanelle (this means the letter AṂ is in essence the luminous Dharma-water of all Buddhas of the ten directions used to consecrate the crown of the Buddha-child; this is the esoteric consecration teaching). Then recite.
Alternatively, visualize one's own mind as a full, pure moon disk, within which is a Brahmā letter OṂ (when the Tathāgata was on the causal stage, he cultivated the path for many years without attaining bodhi; later he practiced this visualization and attained perfect enlightenment in the first watch of the night. This means that the letter OṂ fully contains immeasurable Dharma gates and is the mother of all mantras; all Tathāgatas attain Buddhahood by visualizing this syllable). Alternatively, visualize within the mind-moon disk a letter A (this means the letter A is the body of Buddha Vairocana, and is also the dharmadhātu and the bodhicitta; if one contemplates it, it can produce immeasurable merits). Alternatively, visualize within the mind-moon disk a letter HŪṀ (this means the letter HŪṀ completely gathers all mantras of the Vajra division, is the body of the lord of the Vajra division, and is also the three gates of liberation; if one constantly contemplates it, it can eliminate all obstacles of sin and accomplish all virtues). Alternatively, visualize a letter RAṂ or a letter HŪṀ upon the tongue; having completed the visualization, then recite.
Alternatively, visualize a great lotus flower emerging from one's own neck, upon which appears a letter A; again visualize the letter A transforming into a moon disk, and the moon disk transforming into the letter HŪṀ, and the letter HŪṀ transforming into a five-pronged vajra pestle; again visualize this pestle moving onto the tongue, which only then is called the 'vajra tongue', and then recite. (Next, also visualize a letter A in both hands; the letter A transforms into a moon disk, the moon disk transforms into the letter HŪṀ, and the letter HŪṀ transforms into a white five-pronged vajra pestle; only then are they called 'vajra hands', and then one binds all mudrās.)
Alternatively, visualize the nine sacred Brahmā syllables of Cundī, each possessing diverse rays of light, placed within one's own bodily parts: namely, visualize the syllable OṂ placed on the head, CALE on the two eyes, CULE on the neck, CUNDE on the heart, SVĀ on the two shoulders, HĀ on the navel (these syllables are arranged as: visualize OṂ placed on the head, CA placed on the two eyes, LE placed on the neck, CU placed on the heart, LE placed on the two shoulders, CUN placed on the navel, DĪ placed on the two thighs, SVĀ placed on the two shins, and HĀ placed on the two feet); having completed this visualization and placement, then recite. (The Vidyādhara Pitaka Ritual Sūtra says: 'If one seeks accomplishment in the rite of Cundī Bodhisattva, first visualize the fundamental subtle syllable-wheel of Cundī Bodhisattva and place it distinctly within one's own bodily parts; all sinful karma created in past lives by this person will be completely eradicated, and whatever they seek will definitely be accomplished.' The arrangement of the nine syllables is stated in several places in the canon.)
All the virtues of visualizing the Brahmā syllables are broadly explained in the various dhāraṇī sūtras. (As for the above visualization gates of the Brahmā syllables, it is even more marvelous if one constantly contemplates them throughout the four deportments. Whenever the sūtras speak of visualizing mantra syllables, they all refer to Brahmā syllables, not the writing of this land; thus the Ritual of the One-Syllable Uṣṇīṣacakra-rāja says: 'What is called contemplating the syllables refers only to gazing upon the Brahmā syllables; they are not the characters of local regions, and possess great supernatural power.')
For those who are unable to visualize the Brahmā syllables, merely reciting with single-minded devotion also endows all samādhis. Thus the Great Compassion Heart Sūtra says: 'The dhāraṇī is the storehouse of dhyāna-concentration, for hundreds of thousands of samādhis constantly manifest before one.'
When one is intensely reciting, if one encounters various demonic obstacles, or sudden dread, or difficulty of the tongue in reciting, or unease of body and mind, or much anger and drowsiness, or sees diverse strange signs, or conversely gives rise to doubt regarding the dhāraṇī-mantra and does not wish to recite, and so forth: as an antidote, one should visualize the Brahmā letter RA, or visualize the letter RAṂ, or visualize the letter A, and so on; merely visualizing any single syllable, that realm will naturally vanish. If conceptual discrimination is excessive, one should visualize the letter SA, which brings about non-discrimination. If attachment to existence is excessive, one should visualize the letter HA, recognizing that conditioned dharmas are fundamentally empty. (The above is merely spoken from one perspective.)